The operation took six months to complete, and has included the arrest of 39 registered sex offenders.

NCA deputy director general Phil Gormley said:

“Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly. So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended - it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line.”

June- 49 yr old male- Swindon area- arrested for making and possessing indecent images of children

July- 29 yr old male- Calne area - arrested for making and possessing indecent images of children.

Wiltshire Police have a dedicated team of investigators that target those suspected of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children via the internet.

This operation highlights the national scale of this crime.

We will continue to work alongside our partner agencies to ensure those arrested are brought to justice and any child that is identified through these investigations are properly safeguarded and protected from the risk of further harm.”

They have arrested 33 men on suspicion of possessing and distributing indecent images of children.

Today’s announcement of the results of the operation marks the culmination of six months of covert work by our dedicated officers.
“The 37 packages we received are just some of the hundreds of referrals about online child abuse that our Paedophile and Online Investigation team deals with every year.

Online offences can involve actual physical abuse and grooming as well as the making, possession and distribution of indecent images of children.
“All are criminal offences and a form of child abuse. They are not victimless crimes. Each time an image is shared, it further victimises that child."